At the completion of the 2015-2016 season, 104 of the 338 University of Manitoba student-athletes qualified for U Sports Academic All-Canadian status by maintaining a minimum grade point average of 3.5 (80%) or better in their field of study at the University of Manitoba. This is the sixth consecutive season that 85 or more Bison student-athletes have achieved this national recognition.
In addition, the accomplishment of 104 Bison student-athletes on the U Sports academic list represents the most-ever in one season (previous record was in 2014-15 season at 103).
The total of 104 Bison Sport student-athletes earning U Sports Academic All-Canadian represents 30.8% of all Bison Sport student-athletes (338) to achieve this national recognition in the past year. The overall percentage of Bison student-athletes named as U Sports Academic All-Canadians has been at 20% or higher over the last 12 consecutive years and also the sixth consecutive year at 25% or higher rate.
Some major academic Bison highlights include: six Bison student-athlete to achieve this U Sports recognition in all five varsity years – Amir Ali of men's basketball, Bryden Bone and Mitchell Harrison of football, Brodie Gobin of men's golf, Alison Balasko from women's basketball and women's track and field plus Devin Edwards with men's track and field.
Five other Bison student-athletes receive this U Sports award for the fourth time – football player Cam Teschuk, men's swimming Yash Rawal, men's cross country and track and field Ben Paterson, women's track and field Josette Jensen and Tamara Paetsch.
There were also 21 Bison student-athletes who are now three-time U Sports Academic All-Canadians plus an additional 34 Bisons who have achieved this feat for a second time.
"We are immensely proud of our U Sports Academic All-Canadians. Becoming an Academic All-Canadian requires balancing competing demands on the time and energy of our student-athletes," stated Director of Athletics and Recreation Gene Muller. "Their hard work and dedication is truly admirable. They exemplify the spirit of the being a student -athlete."
Selected highlights from the 2015-16 U Sports Academic All-Canadian Bison list
- Bison female athletes account for 52% (54 of 104) of this year's list, highlighted by women's hockey with 11 of 24 players (46%), while men's swimming produced the highest percentage of male athletes per team with six of ten (60%)
- Both track and field teams (combined with cross country) had the highest number of Academic All-Canadians with 47 (T&F: 31 and T&F plus cross country: 16)
- Ten of the Bison teams had at least six or more Academic All-Canadians
- For the fifth consecutive season, football had seven or more Academic All-Canadians
- There was 18 Bisons earning Academic All-Canadian status while studying at the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management
- There were 46 Bison student-athletes (44% of whole Bison total) who earned a 4.0 or higher mark (an A - 90%)
- Since Academic All-Canadians stats taken in 1990, 1,540 Bisons earned this award
2015-16 University of Manitoba Bisons U Sports Academic All-Canadians:
Women's Basketball
Atoosa Jalayeri
Nicole Konieczny
Tiara Licsi
Men's Basketball
Amir Ali
Brett Jewell
Football
Bryden Bone
Derek Dufault
Geoff Gray
Mitchell Harrison
DJ Lalama
Brett MacFarlane
Foster Martens
Jayden McKoy
Cam Teschuk
Men's Golf
Brodie Gobin
Avery Livingston
Bobby McNair
Derek Solman
Jack Werhun
Steve Young
Women's Hockey
Alexandra Anderson
Nicole Carswell
Rachel Dyck
Lauryn Keen
Karissa Kirkup
Courtlyn Oswald
Charity Price
Erin Kucheravy
Alana Serhan
Alanna Sharman
Jayden Skoleski
Men's Hockey
Sean Christensen
Adam Henry
Justin Paulic
Luke Paulsen
Joel Schreyer
Jonah Wasylak
Women's Soccer
Martie Arran
Chelsea Dubiel
Britt MacSween
Bruna Mavignier
Elyce Molyneaux
Sara Schur
Alanna Shaw
Women's Swimming
Haley McKay
Ruth Ormiston
Kayln Wigston
Men's Swimming
Andrew Cochrane
Jan Freihammer
Max Freihammer
Anthony Iliouchetchev
Nick Noonan
Yash Rawal
Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Nicole Balzer
Ashlyn Cortvriendt
Janessa Klatt
Nicola Odaisky
Tarina Ready
Danielle Saj
Rebekah Sass
Erin Tramley
Justina Tychanski
Men's Cross Country/Track & Field
Patrique Bulloch
Mathieu Desmarais
Josh Dyck
Daniel Heschuk
Darian Hole
Nickolas Kosmenko
Timothy Miller
Ben Paterson
Women's Track & Field
Courtney Allary
Allison Balasko
Reagan Croy
Jessica Gundrum
Josette Jensen
Andrea Mandzuk
Sophia Mbabaali
Rachael McLeod
Yvette Morgan
Tamara Paetsch
Melissa Richards
Carla Schroeder
Amy Todoruk
Tegan Turner
Mikaela Van Schepdael
Jade Viela
Sasanie Wanigasekera
Erin White
Manzah Yankey
Men's Track & Field
Michael Akins
Steven Bairos-Novak
Ryan Croy
Jamie Dumaran
Devin Edwards
Matthew Fitkowsky
Joseph Lo
Chris Moskal
Patrick Rozanska McCaugherty
Matthew Van Schepdael
Carter Wilson
Women's Volleyball
Sydney Booker
Sarah Klassen
Men's Volleyball
Ken Rooney
Dustin Spiring
